Method of making shoes



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METHOD OF MAKING SHOES.

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METHOD OF MAKING SHOES Original Filed Dec. 18, 1926 16'Sheets-Sheet l4 Oct. 22, 1929. L. E. TOPHAM ET AL METHOD OF MAKING S'HOES Original Filed Dec. l8. 1926 16 Sheets-Sheet 15 Oct. 22, 1 929. I L. E; TOPHAM ET in. 1,732,572

METHOD OF MAKING SHOES Original Filed Dec. 18. 1926 16 Sheets$heet 1C Patented Oct. 22, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LAURENCE E. TOPIIA'IVL OF WENI'IAM, AND ALFRED R. MQRRILL, 01E BEVERLY, MASSA- CHUEETTS, ASSIGI'lORS TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY COR-PDRATION, OF NEW JERSEY, A CUR-EORATION'OF NEW JERSEY PATERSON,

METHOD OF MAKING SHOES Application filed Becember 18, 1926, Serial No. 155,624. Renewed March 21, 1929.

The present invention relates to those operations which are performed progressively along the bottom Inaiginoi a shoe while supported up on a last.

The object of the invention is to facilitate certain of these operations and particularly the operations of sewing the inseam of a Welted shoe and of trimming oil the surplus materials extending from the inseam, or as it is usuallytermed in the art, trimming the inseam, and enable these operations to be performed in an accurate and reliable manner with uniform results and without any special care or skill on the part of a workman.

With this object in view the invention contemplates presenting a lasted shoe successive- 1y to an inseam sewing mechanism and to an inseam trimming mechanism, guiding the shoe during each operation to cause the point of operation to followapredetermined outline and imparting predetermined relative tipping positioning movements to the shoe and operating meant as the point of operation is transferred around the shoe to locate the inseam and the inseam trimming cut in predetermined relation to the shoe sole and to each other.

it is desirable in the manufacture of a shoe that the inseam be located in a plane parallel to the surface of the insole and it is also do sirable that the inseam trimming out be made at a uniform distance from tl e seam both inside and outside of the seam all aroundthe shoe. These results can be uniformly attained by the useoi the present invention. Also the steps of the method are such that they can be carried out by automatic machinery and thus the amount of manuallabor required in the manufacture of a shoe reduced with a consequent reduction in the cost of manufacture and the elimination of errors due to lack of skill or care on the part of workmen.

Preferably the shoe is guided during each operation by engaging a guiding device in the inseam channel of the sole. since the shoe can be guided conveniently and accurately in this manner both during the sewing and during the trimming, and the tipping positioning movements can be readily imparted to the shoe without liability of bodily displacement.

In addition to the features of invention above referred to the present invention also consists in the improved methods of shoe manufacture hereinafter described and claimed, certain of which are not limited to the operations of inseam sewing and inseam rimming.

The invention \v'll be readily understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which are illustrated an automatic inseam sewing machine and an automatic inseam trimming machine which may be utilized in carrying out the several steps of the present invention.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation of the inseam sewing machine; Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of the machine shown in Fig. 1 looking from the right; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the machine; 4 is a view in side elevation of the upper portion of the machine looking from the right and illustrating the sewing mechanism and the jack; F 5 is a detail view in side elevation and partly in section of the parts of the sewing mechanism adjacent the point of operation illustrating the manner in which the shoe is guided and presented to the sewing mechanism; Fig. 6 is adetail view illustrating the supporting mechanism for the ack the mechanism for moving the jack to present the shoe properly to the sewing mechanism and certain associated part-s; Fig. 7 is a detail view in side elevation of a portion of the jack support ing and actuating mechanism; Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 6 with certain of the partsremoved to show. the structure ot other parts more clearly; Fig. 9 IS a detail sectional plan view of a portion of the mechanism for drivmg the pattern cam shaft and for varyingthe speed of the shaft; Fig. 10 18 a view in front elevation of the nseam trimming machine; Fig. 11 1s a view 1n side elevation of the machine lllustrated in Fig. 10 looking from the left;F1g. 12 is a view a front elevation of the head or upper portion of the machine whichcontains the mseam trnnunng mechanism; Fi 13 is a view in side elevation of the head of the machme with a portion of the casing cut away; Fig. 14 is a detail view taken substantially on the line 14l14t of Fig. 13; Fig. 15 is a view in vertical section of the head of the machine; Fig. 16 is a plan view with certain parts broken away and certain parts shown in section of the portion of the machine below the head; Fig. 17 is a view in front elevation, partly in section, illustrating particularly the driving connections for the machine; Fig. 18 is a View, partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section, of substantially the mechanism shown in Fig. 17 Fig. 19 is a view in side elevation illustrating the mechanism for supporting and actuating the jack; Fig. 20 is a detail view, partly in side elevation and partly in section, illustrating a portion of the mechanism shown in Fig. 19; Fig. 21 is a detail view illustrating in side elevation a portion of the stop mechanism; Fig. 22 is a detail view of a portion of the mechanism shown in Fig. 18 illustrating particularly the clutch of the auxiliary mechanism which is thrown into operation from the stop motion and which acts after the inseam trimming mechanism has been brought to rest; and Fig. 28 is a detail plan view illustrating a portion of the auxiliary mechanism, the tripping lever from which the stop motion is thrown into operation, and the connections for throwing the auxiliary mechanism out of operation.

In utilizing the present invention in the manufacture of shoes to facilitate the inseam sewing and inseam trimming operation the lasted shoe is first presented to an inseam sewing mechanism and during the sewing operation the shoe is guided in any suitable way as by the engagement of a channel guide with the channel or rib of the insole to cause the inseam to follow a predetermined outline and simultaneously the position of the shoe with relation to the stitch forming devices is controlled by imparting relative tipping movements to the shoe and stitch forming devices predetermined as to time and extent to cause the stitches of the inseam to be in the proper, plane with relation to the plane of the insole.

At a later stage in the manufacture the shoe is presented to an inseam trimming mechanism and during this operation it is again guided in any suitable way as by a channel guide to cause the point of operatlon to follow a predetermined outline which may be the same or substantially the same as that followed. by the inseam, and simultaneously the relative position of the shoe and trimming mechanism are again controlled by imparting relative tipping movements to the shoe and trimming mechanism predetermined as to time and extent to, cause the trimming cut to be made at the desired distance from the seam on both sides of the seem at all parts of the shoe.

The inseam sewing and inseam trimming machines illustrated in the drawings are automatic in their action and are designed to guide a shoe so as to cause the point of operation to follow the outline of the channel of the insole and to impart tipping positioning movements to the shoe as the point of operation is transferred around the shoe. These machines therefore are well adapted for use in practicing the present invention. The cam paths of each machine are designed with reference to the style of shoe to be operated upon and with reference to the cam paths of the other machine so that the final product of the two machines are shoes, the inseams and inseam trimming cuts of which are located uniformly in predetermined rel ation to the shoe sole and to each other. The inseam sewing machine has the same general construction and mode of operation as the machine disclosed in the patent to Laurence E. Topham, granted Feb. 8, 192(, No. 1,616,713, and the inseam trimming machine has the same general construction and mode of operation as the machine disclosed in the application of Alfred R. Morrill, filed Feb. 2, 1920, Serial No. 355,583.

The inseam sewing machine illustrated in Figs. 1 to 9 comprises a sewing mechanism which, as a whole, is fixed in position, and a shoe supporting jack which is mounted in the machine so as to be capable of being moved to transfer the point of operation around the shoe and to be tipped and turned so as to locate the stitches of the inseam in the desired position with relation to the surface of the insole. As the point of operation is trans ferred around the shoe the shoe is guided by devices including a guide which engages the channel of the sole and tipping and turning movements predetermined as to time and ex tent are imparted to the shoe through connections to the ack from a pattern cam shaft. The inseam is thus caused to follow a predetermined outline and the stitches of the inseam are caused to have a predetern'lined location with relation to the surface of the insole. The sewing mechanism and the mechanism for moving the jack are driven in unison during the sewing of a seam and are stopped automatically by the action of suitable stopping devices at the completion of the seam. After a seam is completed the operator disengages the shoe from the sewing mechanism and then throws into operation mechanism which acts to drive the jack moving mechanism independently of the sewing mechanism to return the ack to its initial or starting position. lVhcn the ack reaches this position this driving mechanism is automaticaily thrown out of operation.

The sewing mechanism of the machine illustrated in Figs. 1 to 9 has the same construction, arrangement and mode of operation of the various parts as the machine illustrated and described in application Serial 1 l lo. 2(3(), l"9, tiled October 31, 1918, in the l 'red ltlorrill, one of the present name of it apl'ilicz'mts. T his machine comprises a curved heel: n ed e il-l, a loo-per 26, a thread finger 28, a chan l 'de roll 30, and a welt guide 32. The needle, the channel guide roll and the welt guide are all recruited to reciprocate in the line of feed and the channel guide roll is rotated in a direction to feed the work during the be ck feed thereof, these parts operatin in time elation to each other to feed the wt lr continuously throi'lgh the machine. The parts of the sewing mechanism are all actuated from a sewing cam shaft 34.

The jack comprises a spindle 3G, a toe supporting arm 38 rigid with the spindle and a heel supp "rting arm 40 pivoted to the spindle, T end of the spindle is secured to a he ,Jheri *al shell 4'2 which is connected by means of a gimhel joint to a wheel i l rotatably mounted. in the torward ends of supporting arms to. These arms project from a yoke r-rhich is pivotally connected to a yoke {all so a to sw ne, in a vertical plane. The

. yoke is pivotally connected with a linl frame to swing in a horizontal plane, and the link frame is pivotally con :ted with the end of a supporting; arm pivotally mounted upon a vertical shaft 56 and is also pivotmnected with the end of a second supp arm 58 pivotally mounted upon a vertical stud 60.. The supporting arms 54 and are of substzmtially the same length and th yoke 50 is pivotally connected with the nne at substantially the central point of the supported vertically but is free to move forwardly and rcarwardly and to swing in a horizonti l zine about pivotal connection with the h k frame, this connection moving substan lllljy' in a straight line perpendicular to the verti plane of the line of feed of the machine during; the forward and rearward movements of the yoke. in order to support the jack spindle and at the same time to permit it to move vertically to accommodate itself to the necessary variations in the vertical position of the shoe, a coiled spring 62 is jack and by the engagement of the channel r, and welt guide with the shoe, these i; as guides on the shoe. The re L A inp; movements are imparted to the shoe by devices acting on the jack spindle to move the lower end of the spindle forwardly. rearwardly and laterally of the machine in horizontal directions, and the lateral turnlink frame. The yoke 50 thus is i 'ing movements are imparted to the shoe by eration by the needle, channel guide roll and welt guide the tipping and turning movements are caused to take place about the point of operation. 1

The lateral tipping movements of the shoe are produced by the forward and rearward swinging movements of the arm 54: which through the connection described'between the arm and the lower end of the jack spindle impart forward and rearward movements to the lower end of the spindle, thereby tipping the jack laterally. A cam roll supporting lever 64 is pivoted at one end by means of a stud 6G to the arm and connected at its opposite end by a link 68 with a stationary arm 70, said arm being formed on a bracket secured to the frame of the machine. The lever 64 carries a cam roll which engages in a cam groove 72 in a cam disk 74 mounted on a cam shaft 75 which, for the sake of convenience, will be hereinafter termed the pattern cam shaft. By the action of the cam groove 72 the lever 6d actuated to impart forward and rearward swinging movements to the arm 54 and thereby to impart through the connections described the required lateral tipping); moven'ients to the jack.

Longitudinal tipping movements are imparted to the jack and the shoe by swinging the jack supporting yokes 50 and 48 horizontally, thereby imparting movements to the lower end of the jack spindle laterally of the machine. The required swinging movements are imparted to the jack supporting yokes by means of a cam actuated bell crank lever 76 pivoted 011 the shaft 56 through a link 7 8 connecting the forwardly extending arm of the bell crank lever with an arm 80 on the yoke 48. A cam roll supporting lever 82 is pivoted at onecnd to the laterally extending armof the bell crank 7 6 and is confrom the left side of the wheel 44 extends about a pulley 88 mounted upon a stud 90 secured in the yoke 50 thence extends to the right about a pulley 92 mounted on a stud secured to the arm 54 and thence about a grooved segment 94: rotatably mounted on a Vertical shaft 96 and is secured at its end to the forward part of the segment. The

1 mounted on the frame of the machine.

part of the cable leading rearwardly from the right side of the wheel 44 extends about a second pulley 98 mounted on the stud and thence extencs to the left about a pulley 100 and over a pulley 102 both mounted on the frame of the machine. To the end of this part of the cable is secured a weight 104 which operates to keep the cable taut at all times. Swinging movements are imparted to the segment 94 by means of a gear segment 106, secured to .the hub of the grooved segment 94 and a camlever 108 mounted on the vertical shaft 56 upon the forwardly extending arm of which is carried a gear segment 110 meshing with the gear segment 106. The laterally extending arm of the cam lever 108 carries a cam roll engaging a cam face formed on a cam disk mounted on the pattern cam shaft 75.

Mechanism for actuating the jack to impart feeding movements to the shoe comprises a lever 112 hereinafter termed the feeding lever, pivoted on a stud 114, carried by a bracket 116, secured to the frame of the machine and a link 118, connecting the lever with the forward or toe end of the jack. The lever 112 is actuated by means of a lever 120. which is substantially triangular in shape, and is pivotally connected at 122 with the lever 112. The triangular lever is pivoted at 124 to one end of a hanger 126, the other end of which is pivoted at 128 to a lever 130, pivotally mounted on a fixed stud 132. This lever 130 is hereinafter termed, the fulcrumcarrying lever. The triangular lever 120 is actuated from the pattern cam shaft through connections comprising an intermediate lever 134, pivotally mounted on the machine frame, and a link 136 connecting the lever 184 with the rear end of the triangular lever 120. The

"intermediate lever 134 is connected by a link 138 with the laterally extending arm of a bell crank lever 140, pivoted on the shaft 56. A cam roll is mounted on this arm of the bell crank lever, and is arranged to engage a cam face 142 formed on a cam disc 144, secured to the pattern cam shaft... A cable 146 is attached at one'end to the feeding lever 112, and

extends from said lever over a pulley 148 under apulley 150, and over a pulley 152,

' weight 154 is'suspended at the endof the cable.

' he cam face 142 is so formed that the triangular lever 120 is actuated to move the feedin 'lever 112 and throu 'h said lever to actuate the jack to feed the shoe at a substantially uniform speed past the devices for operating on the shoe. To enable this mechanism for actuating the jack to feed the shoe, to impart the proper feeding movement to the jack for shoes of different sizes, the movement of the triangular lever 120 and the movement imparted thereby to the feeding leve1x112 is adjusted to accord with the size 'tated independently of said she. ft.

of the shoe placed in the machine. At the time when the shoe is placed in the machine, the fulcrum-carrying lever 30 is unlocked so that it may be adjusted about its axis. hen a shoe is placed in the machine in correct position for the starting of the sann, the feed lever 112 will be adjusted through the connections between said lever and the jack in a position depending upon the size of the shoe. The adjustn'lent of the feeding lever 112 thus produced will ail'eet the proper adjustment of the fulcrum of the triangular lever 120.

The driving mechanism for the sewing cam shaft comprises a driving shaft 156 upon which is mounted a fast pulley 158 and a loose pulley 160. This shaft carries a bevel gear 162 which meshes with a bevel gear 164 mounted on the upper end of a vertical counter-shaft 166. Fixed upon the counter-shaft 166 is a disk carrying the driving member 168 of a friction clutch, the driven member of which indicated at 170 is carried by a sleeve 172 loosely mounted on the counter-shaft. The sleeve 172 also carries a spiral gear 174 meshing with a spiral gear 176 formed on a sleeve. mounted on the sewing cam shaft to rotate therewitl During the sewing operation the members 168 and 170 of the friction clutch are engaged and the sewing cam shaft 34 is driven at a speed depending upon the speed of the driving shaft 156.

The pattern cam shaft is driven through a spiral gear 178 journaled on a shaft 180 and meshing with a spiral gear 182 secured to the upper end of the pattern cam shaft. The spiral gear 178 is held from movement longitudinally on the shaft 180 and the shaft is slidably mounted in bearings in sleeves 184 and 186 journaled in the frame of the machine. The sleeve 184 carries at one end a bevel gear 188 and the sleeve 186 carries at one'end a bevel gear 190, these gears intermeshing with an intermediate bevel gear 192 secured to the lower end of a vertical countershaft 194 arranged in alignment with the counter-shaft 166 but capable of being re- The spiral gear 17 8 is adapted to be clutched either to the bevel gear 188 or to the bevel gear 190, the respective bevel gears and the spiral gear being provided with inter-engageable clutch projections. The spiral gear 178 may be shifted longitudinally to clutch the same either to the bevel gear 188 or to the bevel gear by the longitudinal movement of the shaft 180 in its bearings in the sleeves 184 and 186. The shaft 180 may be shifted longitudinally by means of a lever 196 pivoted on a stud 198 and connected by a link 200 with a block 202 secured to one end of the shaft 180. To enable the lever 196 to be actuated to shift the shaft 180 and to be held in adjusted position an operating lever 

